Page 5 of Trusting Warik (Hissa Warrior #9)
Chapter 5
Warik
Nisha was working in her shop and talking to herself again.
He was standing outside listening to her have a conversation with the empty room. With Rakin gone, the ship was oppressively silent except for Nisha’s cheerful monologues. It had only been half a day, but he strongly felt the other warrior’s absence. Now that he had full responsibility for keeping Nisha safe, he worried that he’d be too distracted when the time came to take over the Assist’s body.
After only a few hours of work, Nisha managed to get the droid working again. It wasn’t even squeaking anymore, although it still moved with a wonky gait. It moved around the shop fetching things for her as she worked on another droid. Nisha kept up a one-sided conversation the entire time.
He should go in there and talk to her. She’d listened to his lecture about obeying orders, but he didn’t think she really understood the importance of his words. He should have a more casual conversation and tell her some stories about when orders weren’t obeyed and people died. That might work.
Before Warik could walk in, Nisha swung around as if she sensed him. “Warik, are you out there?”
She couldn’t have seen him from this angle. Did she have some kind of extrasensory perception like Mouse?
“How did you know I was here?” he asked, stepping into the open doorway.
She shrugged. “I heard you?”
He ignored the obvious lie. “I thought I’d see if I could help again.”
There, that was a good reason for him to be in the shop. As he told her stories, he could also ask her questions that might lead to some answers.
She tilted her head, as if listening to someone, then gestured him inside. “You can help as long as you promise not to drag me off to med bay, even if I scratch myself.”
He didn’t like that bargain so he used one of her tactics. He moved the focus. “What can I do?”
Wrinkling her nose, she opened her mouth and was probably about to try and make him promise when a loud proximity warning sounded through the ship.
“Why’s the proximity alarm sounding?” Nisha cried out, startled by the jarring sound. “We shouldn’t be near anything!”
“Go to an escape pod in case we’re about to hit something,” Warik barked as he sprinted out of the work room.
“There is no escape pod anymore!” Nisha shouted, following him. He didn’t have time to answer, he needed to get to the command room. Once there, he sat at the captain's workstation and tapped on the display. The readout made him curse.
“What’s going on?” Nisha asked. She was panting from the effort of following him. He held up a hand asking for silence as he responded to the ship with weapons locked on them. Nisha moved closer and read the display as he tapped to open a channel.
“We are only passing through Hakmin space on our way to reunite with the rest of our ship, the Assist orbiting the Diniki colony planet of Tulsin I. We’re only the top section, and they need us, or they won’t be able to move out of orbit to our next assignment. We have no plans to sell, buy, or barter in your territory.”
An automated voice spoke. “You have no active permission transponders on board. You must dock at Valkavin station, allow us to inspect your ship, and pay a fine. Refusal to comply will result in your destruction.”
“We’re caught in a trade net,” Nisha said. “I’ve heard of them. Species will set them up around their space station without any warning beacons to tell ships to avoid the area. When you enter their unmarked territory, they demand money. It’s a scam."
“A very successful scam,” Warik agreed. “Given the choices between pay or die, I’m assuming most ships pay.”
Nisha made an aggravated sound. “I guess we have to pay.”
As much as Warik would love to do anything else but give these people money, there was no other option. “Now I see why the Diniki’s original route to Gafican station was so circuitous. They were avoiding this area.”
“Comply or be destroyed,” the automated voice said again.
“We comply,” Warik said, then looked over to Nisha. “I’m sorry, this probably won’t be pleasant.”
This was one of the rare times Warik wished he wasn’t right. Valkavin station was old, poorly maintained, and full of travelers also caught by the trade net. Some of them were wealthy but most of them only had modest amounts of wealth, which meant they were stuck on Valkavin until their company, family, or community could send credits to pay their “fine.” The station charged docking fees so the longer someone had to wait, the higher their fine became.
Despair was everywhere at the docks. It seemed a small conglomerate of long-distance haulers had all gotten caught by the trade net. There were a lot of enraged merchants taking out their frustrations on any nearby staff or each other.
Thankfully, their ship was small with no cargo so their fine would be proportionate. He was more frustrated by the lost time than the credits.
The angry or wailing voices faded as Warik led Nisha deeper into the station. At least there was a full market and housing section on the station. The accommodations wouldn’t be very nice, but it was better than being forced to sleep on the hard metal grates of the floor.
“Oh, wow!” Nisha said, looking around to take in the colorful chaos of the market area. Far from being scared or anxious, Nisha was taking in their change of surroundings with fascination. “Can we go over there?”
He looked to where she was pointing. Sitting on a colorful blanket surrounded by hand woven decorations was a Hakmin. He was weaving on a small loom with quick, deft movements, his four arms managing to advance the woven section of fabric at an astonishingly quick speed. He'd probably finish the blanket he was working on within the day.
“We should secure rooms first, then we can explore the market,” he argued.
“I guess,” she agreed and kept watching the weaver even as they walked past. She stopped only when she couldn’t see him any longer.
They got to the section of the station where accommodations could be purchased only to find out there was a single room left with a suitable atmosphere. That was probably for the best. There wasn’t much of a law keeper presence on this station so sharing a room would be extra protection for Nisha.
It turned out, Nisha wasn’t so happy about the idea.
“No, we can’t share a room,” she said, coming to a stop a few steps away from the registration kiosk. “I, um, need privacy.”
“For what?” he asked bluntly.
She seemed to flounder for a moment, then nodded her head. “I have nightmares, and I scream and thrash. I’ll disturb your sleep all night. It’d be better for you to have space away from me.”
“There are no rooms left,” he reminded her. “Do you really have nightmares or is that a lie?”
She blinked, as if she didn’t expect him to ask such a question. He watched her have some kind of internal debate, then finally gave a little shrug of her shoulders.
“I have nightmares, but they’re not every night. But I do scream and thrash when they happen.”
Maybe she didn’t want to be vulnerable around him, he could understand that. He’d spent a full year after the Great Death deep in the thick jungles of Hissa, hiding away from everyone. He’d felt so broken, he couldn’t stand to be around a single person, even if they were well intentioned.
“If your dreams turn disturbing, I’ll gently wake you up,” he offered. “Would that help?”
“I guess,” she agreed, then seemed to give up. “I guess there’s nothing we can do anyway. This is like some Earth romance novel trope. It’d be funny if I was reading it instead of living it.”
He didn’t know what that meant but nodded his head anyway. “Let’s go see the room.”
“I need to go shopping,” she said as he led the way. “There’s no way I’m sleeping naked.”
That’s when he remembered that she’d had nothing on her but her data pad and a few things on her belt when she’d first boarded the Assist’s Hat. They’d been in such a rush to leave that she hadn’t had time to gather her things.
He hadn’t even noticed she’d been wearing the same outfit for the last few days! She must have been putting it into a laundering unit each night and sleeping in the nude. Two emotions hit him equally hard: Guilt at not realizing her problem sooner, and lust at the thought of her naked.
The guilt he could deal with right away. “There’ll be several places in the market that can make you clothing.”
“Great,” she said with a happy little smile. “It’ll be fun to shop. I haven’t done that in a long time. Usually I’m only buying parts and tools. New clothes, woohoo!”
As they walked, she was forced to press against him to let several Hakmin pass. Her soft body reminded him that there wouldn’t be any way to cure his lust any time soon. Maybe he could talk her into buying a billowing outfit to wear to bed and several more to wear during the day. Something that would hide her curves and the way her body moved as she walked.
“We should see if there are any borgino clothing being sold here,” he announced, picturing the layer upon layer of fabric used to make borgino outfits. “I think they might be the best fit for you.”
***
If he didn't know better, he’d think Nisha had never gone shopping before. She bought something from almost every shop she visited and talked enthusiastically with any shopkeeper in attendance. If there was no shop owner present, she’d start chatting with fellow customers. On the rare occasion there were no customers, she talked to him. Then there were times like this where she talked to herself.
“I think the light blue one is better,” she mumbled as her gaze bounced from one shirt to another. Or were they dresses? They were long enough to be dresses, but she already picked out a pair of black pants to wear with them. Did that make them dresses with pants or long shirts?
It didn’t matter really, all that was important was that they were as nice as this place could offer, and she liked them. He enjoyed the look of delight on her face every time she purchased something. It made him want to spend days shopping with her.
“Both,” he responded, grabbing the garments and putting them over his arm along with the pants she’d already picked out. “I have plenty of funds, and you need several outfits. Should we get another pair of pants?”
“You’re not wrong,” she agreed even as she tried to reach for the shirts. “But these aren’t practical for working in. These are only for lounging around. I should only get one.”
He held them up, putting them out of her reach. “I’m getting both. You can get other garments for work or destroy these, and I’ll buy more. Do you want another pair of black pants, or do you want a set to match the blue top?”
She looked confused for a moment, then tilted her head as if listening to someone. Then she gave a little nod. “It’s a Hissa tradition, right? You buy clothing for a person you're romantically interested in?”
He shouldn’t be surprised she’d studied his culture. She was smart and would’ve wanted to make sure that his people would be helpful instead of hostile.
“Sometimes,” he agreed but then was quick to add, “we also buy clothing for friends and family. It’s a way to show affection.” That wasn’t a complete lie, but he made it sound much more common than it was.
“That’s nice! If it would make you happy, we can buy both tunics,” she said with a little smile. “But I want to buy you something too!”
“I don’t need anything,” he answered, grabbing a pair of blue pants to match the blue tunic. All the clothing here had smart seams so they could be adjusted to the buyer's specifications. When they were back in the room, she could put them on and set the clothing to whatever level of tightness she wanted. It wasn’t as desirable as having the outfits made specifically for her body, but it would have to do.
“Then we’ll find you something you want, not something you need,” she answered, following him to the checkout kiosk. Someone was waiting in line, and Nisha struck up a conversation with the individual. By the time they had purchased the items, Nisha had found out all the best places to eat on the station and which establishments to avoid.
He had to admire Nisha's ability to make friends everywhere they went. They’d already been invited to several private quarters to dine with families, although he adamantly refused every offer. This station had a reputation for thievery and selling people into slavery. The last thing he wanted to do was put them in a situation where they could be drugged and wake up in chains.
Nisha was obviously disappointed but didn’t fuss. At least she had some semblance of self-preservation.
“Oh, let’s go in there!” she exclaimed, grabbing hold of his free hand and dragging him to the next shop. This one specialized in task droids, mostly parts and repairs. There were a few droids in the shop but none of them looked new.
Unlike the last three shops they’d been in, this one had someone present to greet customers and interact with them. Nisha immediately engaged the owner in a conversation about the droids on display. The two of them spoke in a specialized technical language that was beyond Warik’s skillset.
As Nisha and the owner talked, Warik studied the shop and the busy market beyond. The trade net made the station far busier than it would’ve been naturally. This place had a thriving community of permanent residents to see to all the forced visitors. Most were average people working and living on the station.
He’d noticed a certain group with matching crests on their arms walking in groups of two or three. The crest denoted some kind of affiliation, but they weren’t wearing station uniforms. They only had those crests burned into the tough skin of their top arms. Several of them had started following them several shops ago. Warik didn’t like it, but there wasn’t much he could do except remain vigilant.
He met the eyes of one of the men and stared until he looked away. At least they were aware he wouldn’t be an easy mark to take unaware. That might be enough to keep them away.
“We’re leaving soon, can they be ready in time?” Nisha’s question pulled his attention back to her and the shopkeeper.
“Absolutely!” the shopkeeper said with obvious delight. “I’ll even include the parts you want at cost. I’m happy to finally sell these droids. No one wanted them. They all want the new models with the nonlinear network synapses.”
“That’s nice tech but it only takes one hard bump, and those synapses need to be replaced. They need to coat them in better buffering materials,” Nisha said with a shake of her head.
“That’s what I’ve been saying,” the shopkeeper exclaimed. “I’m sorry you were forced to land here and pay the trade fine, but I’m delighted you stopped by my shop.”
“It’s probably good that it happened, I really need those parts, and these droids will be very helpful,” Nisha said, pointing to the droids at the front of the shop. “And I got to meet you. It’s not often I get to talk about primary buffer systems with anyone.”
“You could come to my home for last meal,” the shopkeeper offered. “I know my wives and husbands would love to meet you. Most of them do maintenance on the outer shell. Sharmini, the first of us, is second only to the central maintenance organizer. We’re a very prestigious ralst.”
That was Warik’s cue to step in. “No. No meals outside of a public establishment.” He kept his tone cold and formal.
The Hakmin grasped his lower arms together, a clear sign of disappointment. “Well, I guess I can understand. This station does have a bit of a reputation. If you change your mind, please contact living space 2257.”
“I’m sorry, but I promise to take good care of these droids,” Nisha said.
“I know you will,” the shopkeeper agreed. “Come back later if you have time, and we can chat some more.”
“I will!” Nisha said and turned to loop her arm around Warik’s. He was now carrying several bags full of her purchases. He should be thankful the droids and parts were being delivered to the ship, and he didn’t have to carry them around or make a special trip back to the room.
“Do you think we’ll get to leave tomorrow?” Nisha asked as she walked him right into the next shop.
“I agreed to pay the full fine so there shouldn't be any issues,” Warik said as he took in the displays of mining equipment and several large signs declaring the owner not responsible if precious minerals weren’t found at a claim.
“I didn’t know mining equipment used the same rotary sonar as innershell droids do,” Nisha exclaimed. Predictably, the sour-looking shopkeeper slouched in the corner perked up and there was another long conversation that ended with Nisha buying several tools at cost and an invitation to dinner.
If she ever decided to go into spy craft, she’d be invincible!
As they were leaving the mining store, Nisha paused and stared down at her midsection. “No, I’m not that hungry.” She kept staring at her belly silently as if it was talking back. “Wait, maybe I am?”
“I’m famished so you must be starving,” he commented.
Her face flushed when she looked up. “I’m sorry. I get distracted sometimes, and I don’t realize I need food until I start feeling woozy. You should’ve mentioned that you were getting hungry. I didn’t mean to make you starve!”
He didn’t know what internal system finally reminded her to eat, but he was thankful. She wasn’t the only one who needed to be more aware. He was ignoring his hunger in favor of her enjoyment, but he should’ve insisted they stop sooner. Her little body couldn’t go without food for that long.
“I think I’m the one who should apologize,” he said, feeling a pleasant zing of awareness as she wrapped her arm around his and let him lead her to the food area at the far end of the market. She was so casual with her touches that he was tempted to push the boundaries. Would she let him hug her? Hold her? Kiss her?
Those thoughts were playing havoc with his system, so he forced himself to think of other things, including the crowds around them.
Then she pushed into him to avoid several Hakmin children running by laughing. The feel of her soft body and delectable scent made blood rush to his dick. So much for thinking of other things.